Freedom is a precious and wonderful thing. America is "the land of the free and the home of the brave". We enjoy our political, social, economic and religious freedoms because brave men and women have sacrificed and died for the cause and principles of liberty. Beyond that, spiritual and moral freedom is available to us because there was One who sacrificed Himself, died for our sins, and rose again in victory that we might have abundant life on earth and eternal life in Heaven.

Unfortunately, many live and die without ever experiencing this spiritual freedom. Many are living in bondage to sinful habits and immoral lifestyles. Countless people are enslaved to addiction to alcohol, drugs, food, sexual perversions, pornography, TV, surfing the Web, etc. Well-meaning people turn to education, psychology, support groups, or man-made religion for deliverance, but victory eludes them because only symptoms are treated while the root cause remains.

Spiritual freedom cannot come through man-made religion or humanistic rationale, it can only come through a personal Relationship with Jesus Christ. Jesus said this to a group of self-righteous religionists 2000 years ago in John 8:32, "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free." From the teaching of Jesus and His apostles, I want to enumerate four ways we should respond to the truth.

1) KNOW the Truth - The scripture quoted above could not be more clear. One must first receive and believe in Jesus Christ who is The Truth (John 14:6) as Lord and Savior. After trusting in Him for salvation from sin, then become a life-long learner and follower by regular Bible study. "If you abide in My Word, you are my disciple indeed." (John 8:31).

2) LIVE the Truth - Jesus said, "If you love Me, keep My commandments...If anyone loves Me, he will keep My words, and My Father will love him and We will come to him and make our home with him." (John 14:15, 23). Spiritual freedom is not just eternal life in the "sweet bye and bye", but it’s to be an everyday lifestyle of scriptural obedience and victory right here and now.

3) SPEAK the Truth - ... "But speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head - Christ"... "Therefore putting away lying, let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor"... (Ephesians 4:15, 25). If we are walking with Jesus and abiding in His Word, then we will naturally want to share the truth with others. Too many Christians are like the Arctic River "frozen at the mouth". Let’s talk about Jesus more and more!

4) SUPPORT the Truth - Jesus said, "The hour is coming and now is when true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and in TRUTH: for the Father is seeking such to worship Him." (John 4:23). Those who know, live and speak the truth will naturally want to support the Truth. They will seek out a local church that majors in teaching, preaching and practicing the Truth. Many churches are mainly social clubs and humanistic support groups who have abandoned the straight-forward, no-nonsense teaching of God’s Word. They are like those Jesus described in His day as "blind leaders of the blind". Paul describes them as "having a form of godliness, but denying its power"... "ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the Truth." (2 Timothy 3:5,7).

I love celebrating the freedoms we enjoy in this great country. I’m proud of our military and am deeply grateful for their sacrifice. But beyond that, I am even more grateful for the supreme sacrifice Jesus made at Calvary’s Cross and for the gift of eternal life and spiritual freedom that is available to all who will humbly receive it by faith. As our nation’s commander in chief and military seek to spread the notion of freedom and democracy around the world, may we remember that Jesus Christ is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords! He is the Way, the Truth and the Life. And those who come to know Him (the Truth) will be made spiritually free forever! May each of us seek to know, live, speak and support the Truth, the whole Truth and nothing but the Truth. That’s the secret of true freedom.